<span style="color: #222222;">Kerala recorded 69.41 percent voter turnout till 5 pm. Till now 69.49 per cent male voters, 69.33 per cent female voters and 33.91 per cent transgender voters cast their ballots. Voting is peacefully underway across the state barring some minor clashes reported in different parts of the state including Kazhakkoottam, Thiruvananthapuram. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In a few polling stations, voting was briefly halted due to the malfunctioning of EVMs. COVID protocol has been strictly adhered across the state. COVID patients and quarantined voters will be permitted in the final hour of polling. Thermal screening facilities and hand-sanitizers are available at every polling station. Masks and social distancing are also strictly adhered across the state.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Voting will end at 6 pm in nine naxal affected constituencies and will continue till 7 pm in all other constituencies. 957 candidates are contesting in 140 assembly seats and six candidates in Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency.</span><br />